Vitamins e and C alleviate the germ cell loss and oxidative stress in cryptorchidism when administered separately but not when combined in rats

Abstract

The antioxidant effects of vitamins C and E on cryptorchidism-induced oxidative stress were investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Forty rats (200-250 g) were randomly divided in a blinded fashion into five groups (n = 8). Group 1 was sham operated and treated with vehicle (corn-oil, 10 mL/kg). Groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 were rendered unilaterally cryptorchid and treated with vehicle (10 mL/kg), vitamin E solution (75 mg/kg), vitamin C solution (1.25 g/kg), and combination of vitamin E (75 mg/kg) and vitamin C (1.25 g/kg) solutions, respectively. Germ cell count, superoxide dismutase (SOD), total protein (TP), and testicular weight (TW) were lower, but malondialdhyde (MDA) was higher in the cryptorchid rats than the sham-operated rats. When administered separately, vitamins C and E increased germ cell count, SOD, TP, and TW but did not reduce MDA in the cryptorchid rats when compared to the vehicle-treated cryptorchid rats. However, there was no significant difference in these parameters between vehicle-treated and combined vitamins C- and E-treated rats. This suggests that vitamins E and C alleviate the germ cell loss and oxidative stress in cryptorchidism when administered separately but not when combined in rats.

Figure 1

Germ cell count in noncryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (1), cryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (2), vitamin E (3), vitamin C (4), and combination of vitamins E and C (5). Values are expressed as mean ± SEM, (n = 8). ***P < 0.001 versus group 1; ^#P < 0.05 and ^##P < 0.01 versus group 2.

Figure 2

Plasma SOD in noncryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (1), cryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (2), vitamin E (3), vitamin C (4), and combination of vitamins E and C (5). Values are expressed as Mean ± SEM, (n = 8). ***P < 0.001 versus group 1; ^##P < 0.01 versus group 2.

Figure 3

Plasma MDA in noncryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (1), cryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (2), vitamin E (3), vitamin C (4), and combination of vitamins E and C (5). Values are expressed as Mean ± SEM, (n = 8). *P < 0.05 versus group 1; ^#P < 0.05 and ^##P < 0.01 versus group 2.

Figure 4

Total plasma protein in noncryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (1), cryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (2), vitamin E (3), vitamin C (4), and combination of vitamins E and C (5). Values are expressed as Mean ± SEM, (n = 8). *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001 versus group 1; ^##P < 0.01 versus group 2.

Figure 5

Testicular weights in noncryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (1), cryptorchid rats treated with vehicle (2), vitamin E (3), vitamin C (4), and combination of vitamins E and C (5). Values are expressed as Mean ± SEM, (n = 8). ***P < 0.001 versus group 1; ^#P < 0.05 and ^##P < 0.01 versus group 2.